Night patrols to converge on Alice for footy weekend

By ERWIN CHLANDA

There is a flurry of activity to avoid a repetition around the weekend’s AFL game of the anti-social behaviour that followed the Easter Carnival. But the measure many considered most likely to bear fruit isn’t part of it: An obligatory paid-up return trip for visitors from bush communities.

Central Desert Council CEO Cathryn Hutton says: “There’ll be plenty of excited people from the Central Desert region traveling into Alice for the big game. It’s a great event and we want to make sure that visitors behave and everyone enjoys themselves.”

She says the council will provide night patrol crews which “will help get people off the streets, return visitors to their accommodation and provide early intervention to help reduce trouble.

“The council will bring in three Night Patrol Crews from Yuendumu, Ti Tree and Harts Range to assist police and Tangentyere Council with their community safety operations.

“Crews will arrive on Thursday afternoon and remain in Alice Springs until Monday.”

A spokesman for the NT Government says: “The Alice Springs Police will be conducting Operation Spitzer in order to manage the event.

“There has been advanced planning through close collaboration and cooperation between AFL NT, Talice Security, Department of Business Licensing and NT Police to manage all aspects of the event.

“There are revised ‘Plan Ahead’ materials which are being distributed to regional councils, NT Police, relevant NT Government agencies, Alice Springs Town Council rangers, Tangentyere Council and other stakeholders.”

The COO of AFLNT, Steve Nugent, says issues of spectator transport are not a responsibility of the league.

After the Easter Carnival problems the AFL Central Australia had undertaken to “encourage” communities to ensure that arrangements for return trips are in place, he says.

“The AFLCA will work with communities to ensure they have a transport plan in place for next year’s Easter Carnival as participation in the carnival will only be permitted if communities have a clear transport plan in place.”